Interview: Sir Jack Brabham

As a tribute to triple World Champion Sir Jack Brabham, the only man ever to win the World Championship in a car carrying his name, we offer this previously unpublished interview that the Australian icon gave to VR’s European Editor Mike Jiggle in which he discusses his decision to build his own Grand Prix cars, and then how he came to drive one to his third World Championship. With Brabham’s mid-May passing, we present it for you here as a way to honor his remarkably full life and the exceptional accomplishments of his career.

A few years ago my wife and I had the pleasure of having lunch with Sir Jack and Lady Brabham at their favourite hotel in Weybridge, England. Jack was a straight forward man and didn’t understand the concept of a club sandwich. To him, a ham sandwich was a piece of ham between two pieces of bread – end of! Despite Lady Margaret chastising him about his behaviour, he persisted to ask the waitress about the fayre she had brought to him – a ham club sandwich.  He asked for another plate and the waitress obliged. He asked her what the oily stuff was dripping from his sandwich. “Dressing” she replied. “Well I like my salad like I like my women – undressed!” he replied to the now blushing waitress. He completely deconstructed his club sandwich and made what he really wanted – a piece of ham between two pieces of bread. Lunch was truly eventful.